[text]

[matchbreaker]

[ It's ass at night and Elda Marker, made more awake by the fact she keeps finding herself waking up later and later especially on weekends when her son doesn't have school is wide awake. As such, she makes her own variation on one of those cerebral posts a friend of hers makes sometimes: ]

So what's something you've wanted to tell someone, but haven't? Or something you absolutely don't want to tell someone? Or have been fretting about? I'm no qualified therapist, but I am older than many of the people on this app, so maybe I can help. Even if I can't, I can hear it out.

I'll make mine public: The woman in my memories survived an attempt to exterminate her race, and I have no idea how to begin to handle that memory. I've tried to ignore it for months.

Mine's related to Retrospec stuff, but it doesn't have to be obviously.

[ On and OOC feel free to have your responses here assumed to be to her inbox for privacy if you want or have them be public for people. Specify if you want I'll roll with whatever ... or respond to her own admission if you want ]

Comments

[lesinset]

I don't really like fighting, but I do like sports. I took up boxing and mixed martial arts to keep fit.

So you're right. I'm not the type.

[matchbreaker]

[ Blink. ]

Is mma that different than fighting?

[lesinset]

I guess it's the same thing? I just do it for the workout.

[matchbreaker]

I mean, you just hear about it being pretty intense usually is all

[lesinset]

Yeah, it is that. I'm better at boxing really. I just got in mma because of my friend needing a sparring partner.

[matchbreaker]

Oh, yeah that makes sense!

[ She laughs a little, playing with her hair in the back a bit ]

I've taken a loaf of various self-defense courses, myself.

[lesinset]

He works as a bodyguard; it's pretty cool.

[ He wiggles his toes and watches her for a moment before grinning. ]

Really? Is it because of Retrospec?

[matchbreaker]

No it's just because I'm a 5' woman.

[ . . . You know, see? she's small? Has big eyes??? ]

[lesinset]

[ It takes him a few moments and then he just sort of hunches his shoulders again. ]

Oh. I just assumed... I know a couple people have been taking classes because of powers so...

[matchbreaker]

No, no, it's fine. I've been making to learn more about actual fighting to deal with my strength.

[lesinset]

It's that bad? I know my friend's boss is learning control over his fighting skills, but didn't think about actual strength or anything.

[matchbreaker]

[ She looks a little bit sheepish and then tries to think about what she can do to demonstrate here in her room. She considers a long moment before she picks up the phone, carries it off a little, sets it up on her nightstand and then-

A video of a woman in some clothing over a nightgown lifting up her wardrobe with two hands. She picks it a few feet up off the ground, levies it a little, and then sets it back down. ]

[lesinset]

[ Okay, on one hand that was a little scary, especially since she was a tiny motherly sort. But on the other hand it was so cool. Tarr presses his hands against his mouth in an attempt to keep from squealing like a fan girl. ]

That is so cool! You got your vampire strength? Can you shape shift?

[matchbreaker]

[ Setting it down, she comes back to the phone, looking a little bit more sheepish, ]

No? No! I don't think they shape-shift in the case I'm remembering. But I can command bats?

[lesinset]

[ He claps and waits for her to settle back before answering, chewing on fingertips carefully. ]

It would be cool if you could though, even if it's weird. I mean, where does all the extra weight go to become a cute little bat? But still, commanding bats can be fun too. Can you affect other animals?

[matchbreaker]

Nah! Just bats.

[ Brushing back some hair... ]

[lesinset]

Just bats? [ And he just kinda pouts at that because stories talk about controlling all kinds of animals. But still. ]

That's still cool. Bats are so neat.

[matchbreaker]

Oh, they are, it's true! They also really kinda... uploaded a lot of extra bat knowledge in my brain.

[ Sheepishly, she smiles. ]

[lesinset]

Really? That's just so cool!

[ Ah yes, that moment when the cold face breaks for his love of all things that were not human adults. ]

Can you speak to them or anything? Or is the control more like a mental power?

[matchbreaker]

It's mental-emotional, mostly.

[ But she holds out her left arm off camera and then a few seconds later, she pulls it own, revealing a bat hanging off it. ]

But I can also get a sense for what they mean?

[lesinset]

Huh.

[ His hands twitch at the appearance of the bat. While he knew that Elda was able to do that because of her bond with the animal, and he couldn't, he still just wanted to once pet the fuzzy flying creature. ]

If the bond is emotional, you could read that a little? Maybe?

[matchbreaker]

Something like that. I'm still playing around with the ability. I think there's some more I've not worked out yet.

[ she smiles at the bat, pulling her hand down to bring it more clearly into focus. ]

[lesinset]

So cute...

[ And yes, his soft voice just went breathy and cute before he presses his fingers against his mouth. Animals are cute, even when they are tiny flying foxes. ]

You'll figure it out though. It will take time, right?

[matchbreaker]

Time or inspiration or both, yeah. I'm not really sure what'll work it out for me.

[ But... cute...? Heheh, yeah, it- ah, he is. ]

[lesinset]

[ He nods. ]

Or even a memory boost? But those aren't always useful.